Does playing with dead tennis balls throw off your game?

Last night neither I nor my partner had new balls so we used some old dead one. (better to play with those then not at all-right?)

Anyway, they really messed up my timing and technique. I am developing 3.0 to 3.5 player and working on topspin and these buggers would hardly bounce. I would be all set up anticipating the normal bounce from the trajectory and they would just dribble down low...arrrhggg. So I could not really get UNDER the ball like i was programming.

Can you adapt well to dead tennis balls or does it significantly throw off your "A" game?

Once you get used to playing dead balls... you'll get a shock treatment on how fast and heavy the new balls are.
You game will produce a bunch ERRORS after ERRORS after ERRORS - overhitting on all of your strokes including volleys, you'll screw up your timing and footwork.
Basically you are toast, by the time you get adjusted... you have wasted your time and your game.

Just learn to adjust to conditions. I can't count the number of clinics I've been to where most of the ball buckets were full of half dead balls. The balls were dead, but the repetitions in the drills still helped my game. For some reason my doubles team manager also gave out used balls for warm-ups??? Never figured that one out.

Anyway, I've just learned to adjust a bit to compensate for new balls and deadballs either way.

Also think about this, balls don't stay "out of the can fresh" for more than a set or set and a half - why do you think they change balls every 7 or 9 games on tour? So being able to adjust as the balls go a bit flat... or if it gets windy... or if it's hot a humid and the balls are flying long... or (name variable that can mess up your game) can be a big help.

If you can't play with deadballs at all, go out and buy a pack with multiple cans and hide two cans as your emergency supply so you always have a fresh can on hand. I keep one or two cans in reserve in my car.

It depends on how dead the balls are. I've seen some which are bounce decently, but are just awful to other. If things are really bad, they will barely bounce properly. I have actually gotten used to playing with bad balls, but even I have limits.

Play with decent balls. But take heart, they're cheaper than ever! Back in the 80's I read that tennis balls have been about $2 a can since 1900. That was alot of money in 1900. Even in 1980 it was more than it is now. People used to buy contraptions you'd pump, for storing them. No one bothers now. I can almost always find Penn or Wilson for $1.99 a can. My court time is often free. So we tennis players have it pretty good.

What if we were playing golf? Put a few cans in your tennis bag and always be ready to provide new balls.